Mara Wilson

`The bottom line is I really do love her and I'll always love her. I wouldn't marry anyone else.' Hubby Ashley Hamilton talks about Shannen Doherty and their troubled marriage on the syndicated TV show ENQ: Secrets of the National Enquirer."

Playing the world's first male fairy godmother in "A Simple Wish," one of the summer's few family-oriented movies, was an unexpected joy for Martin Short. "Well, I'm making something of a social statement, aren't I?" the comic pointed out, with a mischievous glint in his eye. "After all, there's always been something of gender bias, hasn't there? Why have all the fairy godmothers of the past been females? I mean, it's only fair." "A Simple Wish" is a comedy that targets adults as well as...

Some things about the holidays-Why do stores decorate for Christmas in September? How can Santa visit every single house in one night?-are impossible to understand. But the most perplexing of all is why did John Hughes (who produced and cowrote) remake "Miracle on 34th Street"? His version does little to improve on the 1947 classic. The simple, magical story, so charming in the original, seems out of place in today's cynical world. "Miracle" is much more successful in convincing us Santa exists...

So little of this summer's multiplex fare is about kids and for kids that you want to root for a family movie like "A Simple Wish." Whether you'll root for Martin Short's dork of a male fairy godmother (fairy godfather?) may be another matter. Here is that rare movie that makes one long for Jim Carrey. If you're going to encourage an actor to mug outrageously, you might as well get the rubber-faced Carrey, who rarely fails to convey the heart of a kid behind his devilish antics.

Opening Wednesday: Alaska.PG. Two kids search for their father, whose plane crashed in the snowy wilderness. House Arrest.PG. Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Pollak are divorcing; their kids lock them up. New in theaters: Jack. PG-13. Robin Williams is a 10-year-old kid with a 40-year-old body in this comedy. Now playing: The Adventures of Pinocchio. G. Average rating:(star)(star)(star)(star) The classic puppet story stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas....

Opening Friday: Fly Away Home. PG. Oscar-winner Anna Paquin ("The Piano") stars in a story about a girl who befriends a group of young geese. New on video: Muppet Treasure Island.G. The Muppets poke fun at the classic pirate tale. Now playing: A Very Brady Sequel.PG-13. Average rating:(star)(star)(star)(star). The weirdo Brady family-- which is locked in the `70s while everybody else is in the `90s-- is back. "Far-out and groovy."-Andrew T.,...

Playing the world's first male fairy godmother in "A Simple Wish," one of the summer's few family-oriented movies, was an unexpected joy for Martin Short. "Well, I'm making something of a social statement, aren't I?" the comic pointed out, with a mischievous glint in his eye. "After all, there's always been something of gender bias, hasn't there? Why have all the fairy godmothers of the past been females? I mean, it's only fair." "A Simple Wish" is a comedy that targets adults as well as...

Opening Friday: Bogus. PG. Fantasy with Whoopie Goldberg taking care of a dead friend's son, who has a big imaginary friend named Bogus. New on video: All Dogs Go to Heaven 2.G. Animated sequel of the movie about heavenly animals. Now playing: A Very Brady Sequel.PG-13. (Send us your rating!) The weirdo Brady family--which is locked in the '70s while everybody else is in the '90s--is back in action. Carpool.PG. (Send us your rating!) Two guys...

Opening Friday: First Kid. PG. Sinbad stars as a Secret Service agent who is assigned to look after the president's bratty son. The Stupids. PG. Tom Arnold ("Carpool') is the head of a silly family that manages to do the right thing... whether it means to or not. Now playing: Alaska. PG. (Send us your rating!) Two kids search for their father, whose plane crashed in the snowy wilderness, in this adventure. A Very Brady Sequel.PG-13. (Send us your...

Opening Friday: First Kid. PG. Sinbad stars as a Secret Service agent who is assigned to look after the president's bratty son. The Stupids. PG. Tom Arnold ("Carpool') is the head of a silly family that manages to do the right thing... whether it means to or not. Now playing: Alaska. PG. (Send us your rating!) Two kids search for their father, whose plane crashed in the snowy wilderness, in this adventure. A Very Brady Sequel.PG-13. (Send us your...

Opening Friday: Chain Reaction. PG-13. Keanu Reeves is on the run because of a cheap energy source. Jack. PG-13. Comedy with Robin Williams playing a 10-year-old with a 40-year-old's body. Matilda. PG. A girl (Mara Wilson) develops supernatural powers in this comedy. Now playing: The Adventures of Pinocchio.G. (Send us your rating! )The classic puppet story stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Harriet the Spy.PG. Average rating: . . Movie based on...

Opening Friday: A Very Brady Sequel. PG-13. The weirdo Brady family -- which is locked in the `70s while everybody else is in the `90s -- is back in action. Carpool. PG. Two guys whose lives are about to change share a minivan -- in a strange way. A comedy starring Tom Arnold ("Big Bully"). Now playing: Alaska. PG. (Send us your rating!) Two kids search for their father, whose plane crashed in the snowy wilderness, in this adventure. Chain...

Opening Friday: Bogus. PG. Fantasy with Whoopie Goldberg taking care of a dead friend's son, who has a big imaginary friend named Bogus. New on video: All Dogs Go to Heaven 2.G. Animated sequel of the movie about heavenly animals. Now playing: A Very Brady Sequel.PG-13. (Send us your rating!) The weirdo Brady family--which is locked in the '70s while everybody else is in the '90s--is back in action. Carpool.PG. (Send us your rating!) Two guys...

Opening Wednesday: Alaska.PG. Two kids search for their father, whose plane crashed in the snowy wilderness. House Arrest.PG. Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Pollak are divorcing; their kids lock them up. New in theaters: Jack. PG-13. Robin Williams is a 10-year-old kid with a 40-year-old body in this comedy. Now playing: The Adventures of Pinocchio. G. Average rating:(star)(star)(star)(star) The classic puppet story stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas....

Opening Friday: A Very Brady Sequel. PG-13. The weirdo Brady family -- which is locked in the `70s while everybody else is in the `90s -- is back in action. Carpool. PG. Two guys whose lives are about to change share a minivan -- in a strange way. A comedy starring Tom Arnold ("Big Bully"). Now playing: Alaska. PG. (Send us your rating!) Two kids search for their father, whose plane crashed in the snowy wilderness, in this adventure. Chain...

New on video: Black Sheep. PG-13. Chris Farley ("Tommy Boy') gets chilled out by David Spade during a political campaign in this (star)(star)(star) comedy. "Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco. Flickwatchers gave this (star)(star)(star)(star): "Homeward's" doggie and kitty stars get in deep again. Now playing: The Adventures of Pinocchio. G. (Send us your rating! )The classic puppet story stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Chain Reaction. PG-13. (Send...

New on video: Black Sheep. PG-13. Chris Farley ("Tommy Boy') gets chilled out by David Spade during a political campaign in this (star)(star)(star) comedy. "Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco. Flickwatchers gave this (star)(star)(star)(star): "Homeward's" doggie and kitty stars get in deep again. Now playing: The Adventures of Pinocchio. G. (Send us your rating! )The classic puppet story stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Chain Reaction. PG-13. (Send...

Opening Friday: Chain Reaction. PG-13. Keanu Reeves is on the run because of a cheap energy source. Jack. PG-13. Comedy with Robin Williams playing a 10-year-old with a 40-year-old's body. Matilda. PG. A girl (Mara Wilson) develops supernatural powers in this comedy. Now playing: The Adventures of Pinocchio.G. (Send us your rating! )The classic puppet story stars Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Harriet the Spy.PG. Average rating: . . Movie based on...

So little of this summer's multiplex fare is about kids and for kids that you want to root for a family movie like "A Simple Wish." Whether you'll root for Martin Short's dork of a male fairy godmother (fairy godfather?) may be another matter. Here is that rare movie that makes one long for Jim Carrey. If you're going to encourage an actor to mug outrageously, you might as well get the rubber-faced Carrey, who rarely fails to convey the heart of a kid behind his devilish antics.

Opening Wednesday: Mixed Nuts. PG-13. Steve Martin ("The Jerk") heads a cast of nutty people in a comedy-drama about a group of operators at a suicide hot line. Richie Rich. PG. Macaulay Culkin plays the richest kid in the world (a stretch?) in this movie based on the comic book character. Opening Friday: Nell. PG-13. Oscar winner Jodie Foster in a drama about a woman so isolated from the world that she speaks her own language. Street Fighter....